1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for preventing and treating prostate abnormalities, including benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices for massaging the prostate gland.
2. Background Art
Prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine glad that is part of the male reproduction system in mammals. Common prostate abnormalities include benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, and prostate cancer. BPH is a condition with enlarged prostate gland, often occurs in older men. Severe BPH can cause urination difficulties due to the enlarged prostate pressing against the urethra. BPH can be treated with medication or with surgery that removes part of the prostate.
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. There are different forms of prostatitis. Acute prostatitis and chronic bacterial prostatitis may be treated with antibiotics, while chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, which accounts for about 95% of prostatitis diagnoses, may be treated with a variety of modalities, including α-adrenergic blockers, physical therapy, psychotherapy, and antihistamines.
Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis may lead to fluid build up in the prostate, resulting in a congested prostate. One treatment for chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is the prostate massage. Some urologists believe that the most effective treatment for such prostatitis is for the doctor to massage the prostate at regular intervals. However, such massages can be difficult to obtain because it often requires frequent visits by the patients to doctor's offices, which is associated with considerable expense and inconvenience. Therefore, there is a need for devices that would allow an individual to carry out his own prostatic massage.
Since prostate is located proximate the anus, various devices that can contact prostate gland through rectal wall have been devised in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,753, issued to Brenman et al., discloses an apparatus having electrodes and circuitry for generating electrical signals to stimulate prostate gland and erectile tissue, after the device is disposed in the rectum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,881, issued to Cathaud et al., describes a trans-rectal probe made of a flexible self-supporting polymer material. The flexibility of the polymer material enables it to comply with the shape therein, making it possible to achieve safe and reliable positioning of an instrument for detection or therapeutic treatment of an organ (such as prostate) through the rectum.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,478,786, issued to H. M. Smallen, describes a prostate gland massaging implement that is operated by hand. This implement includes a lever having an interior handle which constitutes a power arm to extend down in front of the abdomen and a substantially horizontal portion extending under the groin and offset laterally to avoid the genital organs. The implement has an upwardly and forwardly bent posterior portion which forms the work arm. This work arm extends into the rectal passage to bear against the frontal wall thereof adjacent the prostate gland. The bent portion between the horizontal and the posterior portions serves as a fulcrum point against the front wall of the rectal opening when the implement is subject to pivotal movement around this point.
The inventor of the present application has invented several prostate massaging devices, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,797,950; 5,861,000; 6,589,193; 6,802,850; and 7,211,059; and published U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2002/0040200; 2004/0158182; and 2005/0266048. These patents and applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety. These devices are operated by the contraction of the sphincter muscles, without the need of hand operations. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two of such devices.
As shown in FIG. 1, a device for prostate massage has a generally rod-shape body comprising a head portion 112 designed to contact the prostate through the rectum, a neck portion 123, and a retainer portion 114. The neck portion 123, having gradually reducing diameters from the head portion 112, is designed to allow contraction of the sphincter muscle to push the device upward to massage the prostate. The retainer portion 114, which joins the neck portion 123 at the bend 121 to form a generally C-shape, is designed to prevent the device from completely slipping into the rectum and also to contact the perineum-groin area, thereby forcing the head portion 112 to contact the prostate.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show another prostate massaging device invented by the present inventor, illustrating the location of the device in the rectum 24 before (FIG. 2A) and after (FIG. 2B) sphincter muscle 26 contraction. As the device is pushed up by the sphincter 26 contraction, the head portion 42 presses against the prostate 28, as shown in FIG. 2B. When the sphincter muscles 26 relax, the device will slide downward, resulting in less compression of the prostate, as shown in FIG. 2A. Therefore, repeated contraction and relaxation of the sphincter muscles can produce the desired massage of the prostate without using a hand.
These prior art devices provide convenient ways to massage a congested prostate. However, there remains a need for improved prostate massage devices.